Bag holder



Gct. 4, 1949.. M. c. RANsEEN 2,483,844

BAG HOLDER Filed oct. 25, 1944 :s sheets-sheet 1 WEA/roe MAME/T2 GBAA/SEEN 7 Q. /m

Get. 4, 1949. M. c. RANSEEN BAG HOLDER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed OC'C. 23, 1944 VI/ENTOR MAUE/TZCEANSEEN Octo 4, 1949. M. c. RANSEEN 2,483,844

BAG HOLDER Filed Oct. 23, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 HGJ A WE/Vroz MAUR/TZ CqNsff/v Patented Oct. 4, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT n FFCE Y l l i 2,483,844

BAG HOLDER Mauritz C. Ranseen, Minneapolis, Minn. Application october 23, 1944,-seria1No. 559,981

' 5 Claims.'

. .1 This'invention relates to new and useful improvements in bag holders, and more particularly to such a holder adapted to be removably attached to a suitable support in position to support an` empty bag with its mouth fully open whereby a charge may readily bev delivered into the bag.

An' object of the-invention is to provide a bag holder of'simple `and inexpensivel construction, comprising a pair .of supporting arms having means vfor quickly clamping. them in operative position upon a suitable supporting member such as an edgeof a wall of a potato or grain bin, a wagon or truck body, `or to the edge of the wall of an open barrel, vat, box, .or any other suitable support to which it may be attached.

Afurther object is .to provide a bag holder for supporting a bag with' its mouth open to receive a charge, and having means for protecting the walls of the bag mouth against damage from a shovel or other device used in the operation of lling the bag. v

A further object is to provide a bag holder of the character described whose clamping means is so fashioned that no parts of the bag supporting arms or members project above the upper edge of "the supporting wall upon which the holder is mounted, whereby the holder will present no obstructions to objects passed over the bin wall when the device is in use, and said clamping means also permitting the bag supporting arms try-be folded snugly against the bin wall when thedevice is not uin use, and whereby the device need notV be taken down when not in use.

A further object is to provide va .bag hOldeI' Ii is quickly adjustable for various sizes `oi" bags by simply changing the spacing betweenthe bag supporting arms, and whereinA the supporting armsl and lock bar lie substantially above the bag mouth walls, thereby to ,provide a protective means for the'bagwahs to prevent heavyparticles from contacting the top edges of the tensioned bag whenvthe bag is being filled.

A further object is to provide a device of the class described comprising complemental supporting rarms and `a 'lock bar Afor retaining said arm'sfin Aspaced` operative relation while a bag 'is being 'positioned upon the supporting lugs of the arms, and means being provided on the llock bar and-one of said arms for conveniently'ten- 55 sioning the bag walls to fully expand the bag mouth. y

Other objects of the invention reside in the provision of an adjustable stop for regulating the pivotal movement of one of the arms in a direction towards the other; in the provision of Vat least one resilient bag supporting lug whereby the tensioning -arm may continue its pivotal movement after the bag wall has been fully expanded, thereby to move said arm into locking engagement with a tooth oi a lock bar; in the provision of a device wherein the contour of the open bag mouth may be changed to various congurations; in the provision of means for clamping the device on a suitable base whereby the arm-supporting brackets are prevented from shifting, when the bag mouth is tensioned; in the unique mounting of the supporting arms whereby the weight of a charge contained in a bag supported -on said arms will be transmitted to the arms in a direction edgewise thereof, thereby utilizing the greatest rigidity of the arms; in the arrangement of arms and lock bar whereby the bag mouth walls may be conveniently tensioned with one hand, and whereby the operator may temporarily support the bag upon the supporting lugs with his other hand, if necessary; in the provision of a device that may readily be knocked down to facilitate shipment and storage, and which may be quickly assembled and mounted upon a suitable support ready for immediate use, without the use of tools; in the resilient mounting of the bag supporting arms and the means for locking one of said arms against swinging movement when in operative position; and in the provision of a bag holder which may be quickly manipulated to tension the walls of a bag mouth for receiving a charge, and which may as quickly be manipulated to release the bag, when the latter has been filled.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the various objects of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown, as various changes may be made within the scope of the claims which follow. Y

In thedrawingsz Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the bag holder mounted upon a suitable support and supporting a'bag;

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 4 of of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing one of the bag mouth engaging elements or lugs detached from the holder;

Figure 6 is a front view of the holder, partially in section, showing the lock bar in operative engagement with the bag holding arms, and also showing one of the bag engaging lugs iiexed as a result of the tension in the bag mouth walls;

Figure '7 is a sectional view on the line I-T of Figure 2, showing the pivotal mounting of the bag holding arms, and also indicating in dotted lines a hopper attached to said arms to facilitate filling the bag;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view, partially in section, showing the pivotal mounting of the lock bar on one of the bag holding arms;

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective View showing a notch on one of the bag holding arms whose bottom is adapted to be engaged by the lock bar to secure the bag holding arms in operative spaced relation;

Figure 10 is a View showing the bag holding arms swung back into inoperative positions in substantially parallel relation to the supporting wall upon which the holder is mounted;

Figure 11 is a plan view showing in full and dotted lines, different positions of one of the bag holding arms to indicate how the contour of the bag mouth may be varied by the position of said arm;

Figure 12 is a plan View showing the holder mounted on an arcuate supporting wall such as the upper edge of a barrel or tank wall;

Figure 13 is a detail sectional View showing a holder wherein the bag supporting arms are mounted for limited upward movement against resilient means;

Figure 14 is a detail sectional view on the line I4-I4 of Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a perspective View showing the upper bearing bracket of one of the bag holding arms and the means provided thereon for locking said arm in operative position; and y Figure 16 is a view showing Ya construction wherein one of the bag wall engaging lugs is in i the form of a headed stud secured directly to one of the bearing brackets for one of the bag supporting arms.

The novel bag holder herein disclosed, and as illustrated in Figure 1, comprises a pair of suitable U-shaped mounting brackets 2 and 3 shaped to be fitted over the edge of a suitable support such as the wall 4 of a grain bin, a wagon box, or other similar support to which the holder is to be attached. The mounting brackets 2 and 3 are provided with suitable clamping screws 5 whereby theyV may readily and conveniently be secured to the support 4, as shown in Figures 1,

stop screw I2 is positioned to retain the arm II at substantially right angles to the support 4. Suitable hook elements I4 and I5 are shown secured to the arm II and have outwardly turned lip portions I6 adapted to be engaged by the bag top walls as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The hook element I4 may be adjusted lengthwise of the arm I I to adapt the holder for bags of different sizes. To thus adjust the position of the element I4 on the arm II, a series of spaced apertures I'I are provided in said arm.

The arm 9 is mounted for free swinging movement in either direction from the position shown in Figures 1 and 2, and like the arm I l, has hook elements I8 and I9 secured thereto for engaging the bag top walls. The hook element I8 is longitudinally adjustabe on the arm 9 in a manner similar to the corresponding element i4 of the arm I I. The hook element IS is shown provided with a lateral extension 2| whose upper edge is disposed adjacent the bottom wall 22 of a notch 23 extending downwardly from the upper edge of the arm 9, as shown in Figure 3. The outer edge of the bottom wall 22 of the notch 23 is preferably beveled to coincide with the bevel of the ratchet teeth 26 of the lock bar 24 as shown in Figures 6 and 9. The hook elements I5 and I9` may be secured to their respective arms I I and 9 by suitable means such as spot welding orriveting, whereby they are rmly afxed thereto.

To retain the arms 9 and II in bag holding positions as shown in Figures 1 and 2, a suitable lock bar 24 is shown interposed between the outer ends of the arms 9 and II to retain them in bag holding position wherein the bag mouth may be expanded to full opening, as clearly illustrated in Figure 1. The lock bar 24 is preferably inseparably connected to the arm II by a suitable bolt or stud 25 which permits pivotal movement of the lock bar 24 on the arm II, as indicated by the full and dotted lines in Figure 6.

The opposite end of the lock bar 24 is adapted to be received in the notch 23 provided in the arm 9. A plurality of ratchet-like teeth 26 are t formed in the bottom edge of the lock bar 24 mit the eiective face of the particular ratchet tooth 26 of the lock bar 24, which may be engaged with the arm 9, to so engage the arm with substantially its entire face, as will be clearly understood by reference to Figure 6.

Thus, by means of the ratchet teeth 26 the bag mouth walls may readily be tensioned, as shown in Figure 1, by pivotal movement ofthe arm 9 in a direction away from the arm II, the teeth 26 of the lock bar engaging the arm 9 and securing it in the position shown in Figure 1.

To facilitate swinging the arm 9 into locking engagement with the tooth of the lock bar whereby the bag walls are placed under tension, as shown in Figure 1, one or more of the hook elements secured to the arms may be made of a suitable resilient or spring-like material whereby they may iiex or yield as a result of the tension imparted to the bag top walls, when the pivoted bag supporting arm 9 is swung into locking engagement with a tooth of the lock bar 24, as

shown inFigure 6. .-Theend'. portion 21 ofthe bag supportingarm 9,. servesv as av handle for manipulating said arm, and the. end.. portion 28 ofthe lock bar 24. serves as a handle whereby said bar may be conveniently manipulated in the operation of attaching a bag to they hook elementsof the arms 9 and l I or removing it therefrom.`

The'ratchetteeth 2S .ofthev lock bar 24 `providea very simple and eiiicient means forsecuringthe bag holding arms 9 and. IVI in bag holding positions, as shown in Figure 1, and whereby variations inthe sizes of the bag mouths, within reasonable limitations, will not require readjustment lci the brackets 2 and 3 upon the supporting fwall 4, vnor relative adjustment ofthe hook elements I4 and l8. upon the arms, as will readily be understood. The lateral extension 2l provided ont'he hook element I9 provides a reinforcement for the arm s at the bottom of the notch 23 as may be best understood by reference toFi-g'ures 6 and 9.

The pivotal mountingr of the lock bar 24 upon the offset end portion `23 of the armY H may be conveniently constructed,v as shown in Figure S, wherein yit will be noted the bolt or stud v25has an-.annular shoulder 30 whereby it may be securely .fastened to the bar 24 so that its body 3| is freely rotatable inthe aperture 32 provided in the offset portion 29.

In Figure 10 the bag holding arms 9 and Il are shown swung outwardly into inoperative positions against the supporting wall 4, whereby they require very little space and are not in the way. nor will they obstruct passage adjacent to the supporting wall 4. When so supported theV lockV bar 24 is pendently supported from the outer end of the arm Il, as will be noted.

In Figure 11 the full lines show the supporting brackets 2 and 3 so spaced as to cause the front wall 33 vof the bag top to be relatively wider than its rear wall 34, which may be desirable when lling certain size bags as greater room is providedat the front of the bag, assuming that the lock ybar side of the holder is considered the front. The mounting brackets 2 and 3 may also bespaced as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 11, whereby the front wall 33 of the bag may be relatively shorter than the rear wall.

In AFigure 12 the holder is shown mounted upon an arcuately Yshaped wall 35, such as the upper edge of a barrel wall or the wall of a cylindrical tank. In this figure it will be noted that the bag holding arms 9 and 'Il are not aligned with their respective mounting 'brackets 2 Vand 3, but that they are positioned in substantially parallel relation as in Figures 1 and 2. This `may readily be accomplished by adjustment of the adjusting screw I2 in the mounting bracket 3, the position of the arm 9 with respect to-its complemental arm Il depending upon the size o'f the bag mouth and the spacing between the Vmounting brackets 2 and 3, as` will be under-j spring 4l coiled .thereabout whose opposite ends engage respectively the bottom face. of the bear. ing. portion 'i `and a. washer 42 securedin posi. tion on the spindle. 38 by.v a nut 43 received in y threaded engagement. with the lower end of. the. The spring di constantly spindle, as shown. exerts a downward pull on .the spindle 39,. but

yie1ds-when theV arm rides over the cam face 3",V aswhen it isswung into the notch 38,. as when:

it isswung into bag holding position; The notch retains the` arm H in operative position, asA will be .readily understood by reference to Figure 1'3.v

`The bag holding arm 9 shown in Figure 13 is secured to aV similar spindle 39 having a spring 4l mounted on the lower end thereof and constantly urging the arm and spindle downwardly'- as will be understood. The spring 4l of the arm 9 holds the arm downwardly against thef upper face of the bearing part 6 of the bracket 2, whereby the arm is frictionally retained in position, but may readily be swung from-one position to another as willl be understood In Figure 16 I have shown a construction wherein headed rivets or studs i4 have been substituted `for the hook elements i4 and i8 shown at the inner ends of the bag holding arms in the-Y previous gures. The headed rivets le are secured to thebearing portions l of the mounting brackets and are adapted to-beengaged by the bag top walls, as clearlyvillust'rated. When such a construction is used, hook elements dii, similar to the ones shown in Figure 5, are va'djustably" mounted on the arms at the outer ends thereof in yelements I4 andV a manner similar to the hook i3 shown in Figure 1. Y Y

When the bag holder is to be'used, it'sarms S and il are swung outwardly to approximately the positions shown in Figures 1 and 2. The op- A erator or user then attaches a wallV of-the open bagv top tothe hook elements I8 and 140i they arms 9 and Il, respectively. `During this operation, thelower edges ofthe arms may serve as guides in that the operator may initially bringthe edge of the bag top upwardly into engagement with .the .lower edges of the arms, and then forwardly into engagement with the hook elements E8 andv lll. Suitable means, such `as cotter pins Ill-may be provided in the spindles 8 of the arms,

as best shown in VFigure 7, to prevent upward movement ofthe arms. The operator then brings the bag top walls forwardly into engagement with the hook elements I9 andl, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, after which the operator may grasp the ingengagement with the arm 9, thereby to re- I lease the bag top walls from the hook elements Y of the arms.

The novel bag holder herein disclosed is extremely simple and inexpensive in construction. It may be manufactured almost entirely of stock material which may readily be bent and formed to the required shapes in a conventional press at low cost. The ratchet-like teeth provided on the lock bar 24 may also be inexpensively Vformed onV a press, as the teeth 26 do not require accurate machining. f

7 An important feature of the invention, as hereinbefore stated, resides in the independent mounting of the supporting brackets 2 and 3 and the manner of clamping said brackets to the fixed support 4 whereby the spacing therebetween may readily be varied in accordance with the size of the bag to be supported. It will also be noted by reference to Figure 12, that the holder readily lends itself for mounting on supports of various shapes and sizes without requiring any alterations in the construction of the holder as a whole. By pivotally mounting the arms B and Il in the mounting brackets 2 and 3, respectively, said arms may readily be swung into inoperative positions against the support 4 as shown in Figure 10, when not in use. The apparatus may also be packed into a small bundle for shipment or storage, the lock bar 24 being readily detachable from the arm Il by removal of the nut on the end ofthe shouldered stud 25, shown in Figure 8.

Because of the unique mounting of the bag holding arms 9 and Il the apparatus has been found very practical for holding bags of various sizes when being filled with a suitable material. The bag holder may be clamped to a side Wall of a wagon box whereby the contents of the box may be lled into sacks in a very simple and practical manner, and, in like manner, the bag holder may be supported on the Wall of Aa grain bin or other bin to facilitate filling bags with the contents of such bins. The construction of the bag holder is such that when mounting it on a support such as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the holder may be utilized for supporting bags which may vary considerably in size cross sectionally, as the pivoted lock bar utilized for holding the bag supporting arms in bag holding positions provides for considerable movement of the pivoted arm 9 with respect to the .arm Il to accommodate bags of diierent sizes.

In some instances, it may be found desirable to utilize a hopper of some sort for Vguiding the material into the open mouth of the bag supported on the holder. In Figure? I have indicated in dotted lines a simple form of hopper which is shaped to be fitted between the bag holding arms 9 and Il, thereby to guide the material into the bag as will readily be understood.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I have accomplished at least the principal objects of my invention, and it will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments herein described may be variously changed and modied without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that the invention is capable of uses and has advantages not herein specifically described; hence it will be appreciated that the herein disclosed embodiments are illustrative only, and that my invention is not limited thereto.

I claim as my invention:

1. A bag holder comprising a pair of independent supporting brackets adapted to be attached to a suitable support, a bag holding arm pivoted to one of said brackets, means for limiting swinging movement of said arm on said bracket in one direction, a second bag holding arm pivoted to the other of said brackets and arranged for relatively greater swinging movement than said other arm, thereby to permit a bag top to be attached to said arms after which said arms may be manipulated to tension the bag top walls, and a lock bar pivoted to one ofV said if. limiting swinging movement of said arm in one arms and engageable with the other of said arms to retain said arms in bag holding positions.

2. A bag holder comprising a pair of independent supporting brackets adapted to be attached to a suitable support in spaced relation, each bracket having a bearing aperture therein a bag holding arm having a pivot pin secured thereto and received in the bearing aperture of one ofv said brackets, meansfor limiting swinging movement of said arm on said bracket in one direction, a bag holding arm similarly pivoted to thev other of said brackets and arranged for .free swinging movement towards or away from said other arm, thereby to permit a bag top to be attached to said arms or removed therefrom, and,

spring means associated with said pivot pins and brackets for retaining the bag holding arms in position with their respective brackets, a lock bar interposed between the outer ends of said arms for retaining them in bag holding positions, and each bracket and its bag-supporting arm being independently removable from its support.- ing means, whereby the entire device may readily be folded into a compact bundle when not in use.

3. A bag holder comprising a pair of independent mounting brackets having means for securing them to a suitable support in spaced relation, a bag holding arm mounted on one of said brackets, cam means for retaining said arm in bagV holding position, a second bag holding arm pivoted to the other of said brackets and arranged for swinging movement towards or away from said other arm, thereby to permit a bag top to be attached to said arm after which said arms may be manipulated to tension the bag top Walls, and a rigid member operatively engaged with the outer end portions of said arms to retain them in bag holding positions.

4. A bag holder comprising a pair of brackets I; having means for securing them to a suitable support in spaced relation and independently of one another, each of said brackets having a vertically disposed bearing aperture therein, a bag holding arm constructed of strap metal and having a pivot pin secured to one end thereof re-` ceivable in the bearing aperture of one of said brackets, the opposite end of said arm being laterally offset from the plane of said arm, a locking bar pivoted to the offset end portion of said arm and disposed in substantially right-angular relation to the arm, said locking bar being swingable in a vertical plane, a second bag holding arm constructed of strap metal and having av pivot pin secured to one end thereof receivable in the bearing aperture of the other of said brackets, said second arm being relatively longer than the first arm to provide a hand grip at its outer end, means on said arms for engaging the bag top walls, and coacting means on said second arm and locking bar for retaining said arms in bag holding positions, when said second armis'activated to expand the bag mouth, said arms and locking bar, when in operative positions, be-

ing disposed over their respective bag top walls" thereby to protect the upper edges of the bag top walls during the filling operation.

5. A bag holder comprising a pair of brackets. constructed of strap metal and each having i means for securing it to a suitable support, each of said brackets having vertically spaced bearL ing apertures therein, a bag holding arm constructed of strap metal and having a pivot pin secured to one end thereof receivable in the bearing apertures of one of said brackets, means for direction, a flat locking bar pivoted to the swingable end of said arm and adapted for swinging movement in a vertical plane, a second bag holding arm constructed of strap metal and having a pivot pin secured to one end thereof receivable in the bearing apertures of the other of said brackets, said second arm being relatively l'onger than the rst arm to provide a terminal hand grip, and means on said arms for engaging the bag top walls, and spaced teeth on the locking 10 bar for interlockingly engaging said second bag holding arm, when said arm is actuated to cause the bag top engaging means on said arms to expand the bag mouth and thereby retain the bag top in open position for filling.

MAURITZ C. RANSEEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

